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By Danielle Dreilinger, Globe correspondent

Though
the police and fire departments would say there's definitely been
enough water, in Somerville this weekend, art is all wet. On July 16
and 17, the Somerville Arts Council holds its annual ArtBeat festival,
which this year honors the coolest element: Water.

It doesn't mean, however, that Davis Square will become a mud pit: Most
of the activities aren't terribly literal. Water is both
"representational ... [and] emblematic of other things," said Gregory
Jenkins, director of the arts council. They always try to choose
"themes that are sort of broad-based, that people can interpret very
differently."

Kids can participate in a pirate-themed parade, with costume-making
beforehand. Composer Clifford Anderson presents an interactive
water-music sculpture. The center traffic island will become Easter
Island, with make-your-own tiki heads that use old water and laundry
detergent bottles. Groundwork Somerville offers water bottles as
jewelry plus an educational relay race.

The year's lineup of bands features a bunch of acts that are pretty
much guaranteed to make people dance, including Debo Band (Ethiopian
funk, pictured), Macrotones (Afrobeat), Raizes do Ritmo (Brazilian forre), and
Bearstronaut (synth-pop dance rock).

The festival is funded by grants and contributions, including an optional $3 dog tag attendees can buy on site. Learn more at somervilleartscouncil.org.